MATLAB: How to create a plot without displaying it

MATLAB

I want to return a plot object to perform further work on it, so I am using "plot" with a return argument:

>> myPlot = plot( rand(5) );

However, this command also opens a figure with an axes and the plot is displayed inside the axes.

I would rather not open a figure or display the plot just yet.

How do I create a plot without displaying it?

To return a graphic object without displaying it on screen, you can put it in a non-visible figure. For example:

>> myGhostFigure = figure("Visible",false)
>> myOrdinaryPlot = plot(rand(5))

The same concept applies to other graphic objects. For example:

>> myGhostFigure = figure("Visible",false)
>> myOrdinaryHistogram = histogram(rand(1000,1), 20)

If eventually you want to display the plot, you can simply make the figure visible:

>> myGhostFigure.Visible = true

The "camera toolbar" does not actually create a "light" object.

If you want to get the position of the "light", you can do the following instead:

1. In the figure window, click on Insert > Light

This will create "light" object

2. You can now set the position of the "light" object interactively using "Camera Toolbar"

3. In Command Window, you can now find the "light" object:

>> a = gca;
>> a.Children

You can use the "yyaxis" and "ylim" commands to set the y-limit for both axes:

>> figure

>> yyaxis left

>> plot(1:10);

>> yyaxis right

>> plot(2:2:20);

>> f = gcf;

>> yyaxis left

>> ylim(f.Children, [0 5]);

>> yyaxis right

>> ylim(f.Children, [5 10]);